Tag Archives: professors

Having a good professor can make or break a class. There are certainly a range here at FIT, as anywhere else. I have found most of my professors as extremely helpful, knowledgeable, and interesting. I will admit to checking sites like ratemyprofessor.com as soon as teachers were announced, and I’m sure you will too.

However, you have to be careful with websites like this. First of all, ratings are not necessarily the best indicator of what a teacher will really be like. Many times people just use rating sites to complain when they did not get along with a professor, or feel like they were not being treated fairly whether it is true or not. Hopefully the teacher will have many reviews and you can judge for yourself if they seem reliable.

I think feedback for the professors and the school is a great tool if said feedback is honest and sincere, and I encourage students to rate their teachers (fairly, of course). I just went back and rated every teacher I had for my bachelors degree. That being said, these comments are not guarantees and I have often found my experience with a teacher to be completely opposite of what most people wrote, for better or worse.

Do you use ratemyprofessor.com or other sites like it? What experiences have you had with them?

Hi Readers! Its so important to get to know your teachers here at FIT. As I’ve said in past blogs, they are a wealth of experience, knowledge and information and many times can help you land internships or future jobs! Introducing yourself at the beginning of the semester is a must, and if you take a liking to him or her, maintain the friendly relationship. Once you leave FIT, it will be great to have a connection remaining at the school.

Today I wanted to shine the spotlight on one of my favorite professors, Linda Finnerty! Professor Finnerty is a highly regarded professor in the Advertising and Marketing Communications department here at FIT. Last semester, she made my Tuesday mornings exciting with Principles of PR and this semester, she’s teaching me “real world stuff” in Corporate Communications.

I can’t begin to tell you the number of valuable industry and life lessons I’ve learned from her. Her lectures (which are always filled with interesting stories from her days on the job) have given me a realistic look into the world of PR. I must say she is one of the best professors I’ve had while at FIT. Her courses are highly sought out by students. You’d be lucky to learn from her! Impressive career + amazing stories + likeable personality = wonderful professor.

Here are some questions I asked Linda Finnerty highlighting her career and place at FIT!

Prior to teaching at FIT, I was the Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications for a major Wall Street firm. I was responsible for advertising, marketing, public relations, investor relations, special events marketing, sponsorships, corporate culture and corporate social responsibility. It was a high stress job, required lots of creativity, the ability to multitask and manage a large staff of people, crisis communications skills, relationship building – all while maintaining a sense of humor and the ability to keep things in perspective.

What was your proudest career moment?

My proudest career moment was receiving the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2009. To qualify for the award, you have to be nominated by your peers and submit recommendation letters from a number of students and faculty members.

What do you enjoy most about teaching at FIT?

The thing I like best about teaching at FIT is the focus, dedication and creativity of our students. Class discussions are always lively and the quality of the work presented at the end of each semester is amazing!

What advice can you give to students looking to attend FIT?

My advice to students hoping to attend FIT would be to focus on improving their writing skills, because writing is a critical skill for success in the business world; to read a newspaper daily to keep in touch with what’s going on in the world; and be curious and receptive to new ideas and all the opportunities that come your way. And, above all, don’t take yourself too seriously.

I love Italy. I love the food, I love the views, I love the art. Everything. There is one thing that I have been missing though. It is the one thing that has made me appreciate FIT immensely since I have been here, and that is our teachers.

I’ll admit that as a freshmen I really didn’t think that the teachers at FIT would be the absolute best. I mean, it’s not like we’re Harvard or Yale. But after three years I realized how wrong I was, and I didn’t comprehend how great they were until I didn’t have them anymore. This semester was the first time I have been exposed to teachers other than ours at FIT, and they were not all bad, but they just could not hold up to the quality back home.

I didn’t realize how much our FIT professors strive to make our lectures interesting and engaging, or how (relatively) easy it is to get help from them one-on-one. For example, I am currently taking a class called “History of Italian Fashion” and every time I walk into the classroom I find myself wishing that Lourdes Font was teaching the class. Professor Font is by far one of the smartest and most knowledgeable people I have ever met. She knows everything about fashion! I took her class “Costume and Fashion in Film” and despite it being a four hour long class on a Friday, it was one I constantly looked forward to attending. If you can make history of anything interesting to a twenty year old at six o’clock on a Friday, kudos.

As much as you may believe your professors are trying to drive you to the loony bin for all the work they give out (especially during finals and midterms), they are truly invested in your success. Linda Sands was my first draping professor and she scared the crap out of me for the first half of the semester. Every time she came by my table to check my work I felt like I was going to throw up. By the end of the semester I realized she was so harsh because she was pushing us to pay attention and make our garments perfect. Needless to say our whole class ended up loving her and we even threw her a surprise birthday party! I was so happy when I got her the next semester for pattern-making. She can be a little scary, but it’s just her mamma bear claws. I know that if I were to show up at her office with a project I was working on, she would stop what she was doing and help me solve my problem.

The professors at FIT are the greatest asset I didn’t realize I had until I lost them. They always say one of the most important things you should do while in college is make relationships with your professors. I always thought that sounded really intimidating. I mean, they’re adults with lives, and there are so many of us how could they possibly single each one of us out to care about? But trust me, when you find a class you love taught by a professor you really admire, you will create that relationship. Honestly, there have been so many professors at FIT who have helped me grow, academically as well as personally.

With finally getting into the swing of things this semester, there are definitely certain classes and professors that I have been enjoying and learning a lot thus far. While all of my classes have been great, there have definitely been standouts among my 2 semesters. I figured that I would share with all the readers and prospective students, photography majors and other majors alike, so that when it comes down to registration, you get the awesome profs!

Photoshop 1 for Photographers – Professor Allison Wermager
I am only a few weeks in on this class but I have definitely enjoyed it. Professor Wermager is incredibly helpful and supportive of your work and progress in the class. She is always willing to help which is really a beautiful thing.

The Art & Practice of Self Defense – Officer Daniel Modell
I’ve already learned so much in this class. It is incredibly fascinating to learn about how we can protect ourselves with our own strength. It is comforting to know that if I am ever in any dangerous situations (hopefully never) that I can protect myself.

Advertising Photography Medium Format – Professor Didier Dorot
While this class is a dreadful 6 hours long, I have learned SO much! Professor Dorot has a lot of incredible insight and advice on the industry and what it is like to be on a professional set and how to deal with clients.

English Composition – Professor Jeff Brewer
I have never learned so much in a single class. Professor Brewer has many life experiences and incorporates them into the curriculum and has us channel our own experiences into our writing. Professor Brewer is hands down the funniest professor at FIT.

Introductory Sociology – Professor Victor Corona
What an incredible class. Not only is Professor Corona writing a book on Warhol, Club Kids, and Lady Gaga (SO COOL) the curriculum is interesting to all FIT students.